Grade 3 Fractions: What Are Fractions?

Learn about parts of a whole

What You'll Learn

Understand fractions as parts of a whole
Identify numerator and denominator
Read and write simple fractions

📖Parts of a Whole

A fraction shows parts of a whole. The bottom number (denominator) tells how many equal parts. The top number (numerator) tells how many parts you have. 3/4 means 3 out of 4 equal parts.

💡

Think of pizza! If a pizza has 8 slices and you eat 3, you ate 3/8 of the pizza.

Worked examples

Real problems from the practice worksheets, solved one step at a time.

Example 1
What fraction is shaded?
1. The shape is cut into 6 equal parts, so the denominator (bottom number) is 6.
2. 3 of the 6 parts are shaded, so the numerator (top number) is 3.
3. 3 shaded out of 6 equal parts is 3/6.
Answer: 3/6
Example 2
What fraction is shaded?
1. The shape is cut into 6 equal parts, so the denominator (bottom number) is 6.
2. 5 of the 6 parts are shaded, so the numerator (top number) is 5.
3. 5 shaded out of 6 equal parts is 5/6.
Answer: 5/6
Example 3
What fraction is shaded?
1. The shape is cut into 6 equal parts, so the denominator (bottom number) is 6.
2. 4 of the 6 parts are shaded, so the numerator (top number) is 4.
3. 4 shaded out of 6 equal parts is 4/6.
Answer: 4/6